New movies: 'What's Your Number,' '50/50' and other movies opening this week

Thursday

Sep 29, 2011 at 12:01 AMSep 29, 2011 at 6:56 PM

The underappreciated and poorly utilized Anna Faris revisits her failed relationships in hopes of discovering just what it is she really wants in "What's Your Number?"

Al Alexander

WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER?

The underappreciated and poorly utilized Anna Faris makes like John Cusack in “High Fidelity” by revisiting her failed relationships in hopes of discovering just what it is she really wants. Chris Evans co-stars as her potential Mr. Right.

50/50

The attempt by Judd Apatow and Adam Sandler to play cancer for laughs in “Funny People” may have failed, but that hasn’t stopped the makers of this similarly themed comedy from trying again. And judging by the reception the film has received on the festival circuit, this time they may have succeeded. Of course, it’s hard to go wrong with Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing the patient and Seth Rogen as his slightly goofy cancierge. There’s also an element of truth this time, with Rogen’s best friend, cancer survivor Will Reiser, penning the screenplay.

MACHINE GUN PREACHER

Gerard Butler stars in this bio-pic in which he plays Sam Childers, an American biker who found religion and used his new spirituality to help the children of Sudan. Marc Forster (“Finding Neverland”) directs.

DREAM HOUSE

Jim Sheridan directs a horror story in which the new residents of an idyllic home are taunted by the ghosts of the previous residents. Naomi Watts stars along with Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig, who fell in love on the set and got hitched after filming was completed.

RESTLESS

Mia Wasikowska is looking for love in this uncharacteristic weeper from Gus Van Sant (“Milk”). Henry Hopper, trying to follow in his dad Dennis’ footsteps, plays the object of young Mia’s affections in this adaptation of Jason Lew’s play.

THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE 1967-1975

This documentary offers long-lost, priceless footage of the leaders of the Black Power Movement – Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Angela Davis and Eldridge Cleaver, et. al – all filmed by Swedish journalists more than 35 years ago and pulled from the scrapheap by director Goran Olsson.